By Travis Johnson
It has been a day for Australian Toronto International Film Festival announcements. Not only did we learn that the Roache-Turner brothers’ hotly anticipated Nekrotronic is making its debut in the Midnight Madness showcase, but word just to hand is that two Australian short films have been accepted into the Short Cuts short firm stream as well.
Directed by Charles Williams, All These Creatures previously screened at Cannes, where it won the Palme d’Or in the Short Film category. Now making its North American premiere, the 13 minute drama stars Mandela Mathia, Yared Scott, and Melody Demessie, and follows an adolescent boy who attempts to untangle his memories of a mysterious infestation, the unraveling of his father, and the little creatures inside us all.
Filmed on location in Sydney, Shelly Lauman’s Birdie explores how a casual sign of friendliness can quickly spiral into a paralysing moment of fear. the film follows a woman (Maeve Dermody – Pawno) on her way to the train station descends the stairs to the underground platform and as she does, she smiles at a young man. He smiles back, and she finds herself caught in a subtle and sinister game.
The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 6 – 16, 2018. For more info, head to the official site.
